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My Last Duchess
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Literary Devices
Form and Meter
“My Last Duchess” is composed of 28 rhyming couplets in iambic pentameter with no divisions into stanzas. Iambic pentameter refers to the rhythm, or meter, established by the words in a line of verse. Meter is measured in groups of syllables called a “foot,” and the pentameter indicates five feet within a line. The iamb refers to a specific type of foot that sees an alternation between an unstressed syllable then a stressed syllable. Thus, one line of verse in iambic pentameter will carry 10 syllables in total, divided into five feet, each carrying a pair of alternately stressed syllables.
Given below are the first four lines of the poem with each line’s five feet demarcated, and the stressed syllables highlighted in bold:
That’s my | last Duch- | ess paint- | ed on | the wall
Looking | as if | she were | alive. | I call
That piece | a won- | der, now; | Fra Pan- | dolf’s hands
Worked bu- | sily | a day, | and there | she stands.
The poem is composed entirely of rhyming couplets, sets of two lines, thus the rhyme scheme is AABBCCDD.
The iambic pentameter closely mimics a natural conversational rhythm, making it a fitting choice for a monologue. Because of this, it has also been used extensively by dramatists, Shakespeare being a notable example. Thus, Browning’s use of the iambic pentameter in composing “My Last Duchess,” a dramatic verse poem, is a fitting one with respect to the genre and style of the poem.
Narrative Voice
Narrative voice refers to the perspective from which a story is told. Narrative voice is of particular importance in a dramatic monologue, as it involves the narration of a story, the unravelling of which is highly dependent on the voice and view of the speaker.
As befitting any monologue, the speaker in the poem is a first-person speaker. A first-person speaker recounts a story from their own perspective and is identified by the use of first-person pronouns such as “I,” “me,” “mine,” and so on. The title of the poem itself carries a first-person pronoun, and the use of it in the very first line establishes this perspective: “That’s my last duchess painted on the wall” (Line 1). This also indicates a sense of possession, which enhances the overall impression of the speaker.
The additional importance accorded to narrative voice in a dramatic monologue is a function of its genre (See: Literary Context). This kind of poem involves the speaker revealing important details about themselves, intentionally or unwittingly, over the course of the narration. In “My Last Duchess,” the duke’s choice of words and train of thought increasingly reveal more about his character, his relationship with his late wife, and even the possibility that he may have had her killed.
Enjambment
Enjambment refers to the instance of one line of poetry flowing into the other without a grammatical pause or break by way of punctuation. “My Last Duchess” sees multiple instances of this, and the use of enjambment in the poem contributes to its overall effect in multiple ways.
With respect to the form and meter of the poem, the use of enjambment helps maintain the iambic pentameter of the poem while simultaneously ensuring a rhyme scheme. Having one line move into the next without end-stops allows the poem to read like natural conversation while still allowing the possibility of two rhyming lines. An example can be seen in the following lines with the rhyming words underlined: “Sir, ’twas not / Her husband’s presence only, called that spot / Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek” (Lines 13-15).
The use of enjambment in general helps create a sense of tension and keeps the reader engaged and moving from one line of verse to the next. This is especially helpful in “My Last Duchess,” as the Duke’s monologue builds in intensity over the course of the poem and he reveals more details about his own feelings and the circumstances surrounding his late wife’s death.
One specific use of enjambment also contributes to the climax of the poem, which also reveals the duke’s true nature. It is employed in the lines where the duke seemingly confesses to having ordered his wife’s murder:
This grew; I gave commands;
Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands
As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet
The company below, then (Lines 45-48).
The abruptness of change in subject alerts the reader to something sinister having happened. It also shows the duke moving seamlessly from the subject of his late wife to something completely unrelated, indicating his cold and cruel nature.
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By Robert Browning
